The realization that he had coerced my mother into submission with his connections left me feeling suffocated.
I used to think I was the product of love, but I eventually realized I was brought into the world against my will.
“However, married life wasn’t what Hilda had envisioned. Jack revealed his true colors over time. He was not only greedy but also had an intense desire to control her. In such an environment, your mother’s mental state deteriorated until, eventually…” Mr. Fraser’s voice trailed off as if mourning that tragic past.
I closed my eyes, striving to calm my turbulent emotions. The roots of all this turned out to be intertwined in a twisted and complex web of love and hate.
“The most shameless part was that after Hilda became pregnant, Jack had no intention of treating her well.”
Once Jack had lured my mother in with sweet words, he transformed into someone utterly different, exposing his darkest side.
How could a pregnant woman fight for her own life in such a situation?
Indeed, when a woman earnestly sought to build a life with a man, it gave the man the power to manipulate her completely.
“During that time, Hilda was often abused, yet Jack pretended to be working while having affairs and continuously cheating on her.
“She then began painting to ensure she could afford to eat healthily and have enough nutrition to carry you.”
At that moment, I realized my existence had brought so much trouble to my mother, causing her immense suffering. I knew Jack was unscrupulous, but I hadn’t anticipated just how shameless he could be.
“I wanted them to divorce when I found out how he treated Hilda, but your mother, for your sake, chose not to. Instead, that scumbag had exploited her for more money.”
Because my mother could paint, she gradually became Jack’s source of income.
“Then she accidentally discovered that he had partnered with others to open an art gallery-not a true artistic haven, but a front for money laundering.”
My head felt hot as if I had stumbled into a massive trouble.
I clenched my fists, my nails nearly digging into my palms as a whirlwind of emotions surged within me: anger, shock, and deep sympathy and admiration for my mother.
She could have soared freely in the world of art, had been shackled by a single wrong choice, trapped in endless darkness and suffering.
“How did she find out about the art gallery?” I tried to keep my voice steady, but the turmoil within me was hard to conceal.
Mr. Fraser sighed and continued recounting the truth of those years.
“She discovered it by chance. She stumbled upon records of Jack’s dealings with some criminals. The numbers and names had nothing to do with ‘art’-they were bare stark manifestations of evil.”
The brutal truth is often unveiled unexpectedly, leaving one unprepared but unable to deny its existence.
“In that moment, Hilda realized that she was not only a victim but could also become an accomplice.”
As I listened, my heart felt as though it were being ripped apart. My mother’s strength and endurance became especially poignant at that moment.
She chose to remain silent and took
it all in on her own, all for the sake of giving me what seemed to be a complete family, even if that family was built on lies and deceit.
“What happened next? What did she do?”
I pressed eagerly, desperate to know how my mother sought a way out of her despair.
“She began secretly gathering
evidence to expose Jack’s true
colors. At the same time, she poured her heart into her painting, hoping to use her career to secure a future of freedom for herself and her child.”
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